Breath
by Cursor
Summary: I've found that all benders share one strength, the breath. Water benders, earth benders, fire benders and air benders all need the breath. I found that the breath, when combined with a human's energy, can grant me power… So long as I hold it…
1. The Best Agent Of The Fire Nation

**Breath**

**Part One: Foresight**

**Chapter One: The Best Agent Of The Fire Nation.**

The moonlight gleamed magnificently through the leafy treetops in a small stretch of woods in the Earth Kingdom, where four people were gathered.

"My Princess," A figure draped in grey whispered, kneeling.

The red clad girl's mouth curved upwards lopsidedly, and she spread her arms wide. "Welcome back to your calling." She said, the figure gave an involuntary twitch, it was slight, unnoticeable. "I have summoned you here for a very important mission."

"That's the Fire Nation's best agent?" A pink wearing teenager said, her hands holding her face in excitement. "That's so cool!" But the red clad girl raised a hand to silence her.

"As you must know, the Avatar is back." The figure nodded, he had almost expected it, but he was rather surprised. The look on his face probably gave it away, as Azula then said, "It's not him I want you to kill, you're to avoid fighting him at all costs."

"His friends," The figure understood, "Power through unity."

Azula smiled, and Ty Lee studied the figure. He radiated power, much like Azula, and wisdom too. Something was wrong about him though; he seemed more intimidating kneeling than Azula could ever be even in her fighting stance, maybe it was how he appeared, but something definitely made her skin crawl about him.

"Are you sure we need his help, Azula?" May asked dully, "I don't really think we should sit back and let… him… handle it."

"We're not going to sit back, May. We're going to chase the Avatar, while he chases the avatar's friends." The leading teen explained.

"Aw, not that cute guy, I've got plans for him!" Ty Lee objected, turning to Azula. The cold hearted girl laughed as though her friend had just uttered a funny joke, and spoke to the figure, "You can spare him, he was never a threat in the first place. But I want the water-tribe girl and the earth bender girl dead. Their names are Katara and from what I've managed to figure out, Toph Bei-Phong."

The figure twitched again, this time more noticeably. "It will be done as you request, my princess. On another subject, I've heard that you are a capable fire bender yourself, that you have mastered lightning."

Azula nodded, "Perhaps, as a reward for the success of this mission, you would allow this humble servant a sparring session?"

She measured him for a moment, "We'll see."

000

"I'm going out for a walk." Said Toph, frowning.

The four were staying in a small Earth Kingdom village, Toph has been acting strange for a while, she was distracted, and kept bumping into things, which only made her even more distant and distracted.

"A walk would be nice." Sokka said, stretching his legs, "I'll join yo.."

"No." Toph simply stated, leaving before anyone could react. She knew why Sokka wanted to come with her, he was worried she might get distracted and get herself injured again. But she didn't need his help, she could manage alone.

"Let her go Sokka, she wants to be alone." Katara said, looking sadly after Toph. "Let her work it out with herself."

"Fine, I was just trying to help." Sokka said, sitting down on the floor looking crossed. Aang, who was playing with Momo Shrugged, "I hope she gets over it soon. She's vulnerable when she's distracted, and if we get attacked by Azula again she might get hurt."

"Whatever." Sokka said, rolling his eyes.

000

Toph was walking on the edge of the forest; she was tired of Sokka, real tired of him. She knew he didn't mean it, but he kept trying to look after her. Maybe unconsciously, but she didn't care. She didn't like it, and when she got injured today, because she was distracted, he rushed to try and bandage her wound. Of course, she knocked him clear away with her earth bending, though she kind of regretted it later.

She felt someone walking towards her from behind, not a walk she had ever sensed before, it was steady, like an earth bender's yet loose, like Aang's.

"Are you lost?" she asked roughly, turning around. For a moment, there was no reply, but then, an answer.

"No, I was just hoping to talk with you, Ms. Toph." The person said, Toph raised an eyebrow, she listened closely to his breath, it was perfectly controlled, precise, intervals perfectly spaced.

"You breathe like a fire bender. But either you're just a kid, or a very little man." She stated, ready to assume her combat stance. She knew it was the first option she spoke, since his voice was high pitched and child-like, yet she wanted to rub it in, she wasn't feeling nice today.

"Ms. Toph, you of all people should know that age is no indicator for power." He said sagely, probably inclining his head towards her.

"Fine point, who are you?" The barefoot female asked suspiciously, listening to him, sensing him, he was so still, disciplined.

"Please don't think of me as impolite for not giving you my name, it is simply that I don't have one." Who was this kid?

"You don't have a name." She repeated.

"No, I don't, unfortunately. I see how that may be strange, but I have never been called anything other than boy in my life." The blind girl couldn't tell if he was lying, his breath and pulse were perfectly normal.

She wondered for a small moment what it would be like, to have no name, to have nothing to define him, to have no real identity, no way in which to refer to himself.

"Unlike most of the other fire benders I met, you don't seem to want to send me to the fire nation in a bag." She said, he didn't reply at first, and she had the feeling he nodded, before he said. "I really don't."

Her face fell, it occurred to her that if he was indeed a good fire bender, he'd be able to teach Aang, but his voice broke that illusion. "You've been ordered to, though." She said quietly.

"No I…" Toph knew what he was going to say, "My orders are far more terrible than that." She had the feeling he was looking away from her, he wasn't like other fire benders. He seemed sincere.

"So… why are we talking?" The earth bender asked, her breathing quickened slightly, he took a step closer to her.

"I'm not sure if my orders are really worth it." Toph smiled slightly, "I kind of admire you, Ms. Toph." She felt his leg shift uncomfortably.

"Just Toph," She instructed, blushing slightly, yet unfazed by his words.

"I've been living in the Earth Nation for a while now, since most of my… um, missions take place here. And I've been watching you for a while now. The Blind Bandit, you're amazing." His stance wavered slightly and his breath became unsteady. "People think that because you're blind you're a pushover, but you're the most powerful earth bender I've ever seen. And I've met some of the mightiest Earth Kingdom Generals. You've been an inspirational figure." His voice was steady though, he was determined to speak his mind, be the cost what it may be.

"I don't need compliments; I know who I am and what I can do." Toph said, frowning again. She could sense by the shift of weight on his legs that he gave a small, apologetic bow.

"If only we had met under other circumstances…" He suddenly said sadly.

"You don't have to do this." Toph said, now taking her stance, he didn't move.

"I have no choice." The boy answered, assuming his stance now.

"There's always a choice."

"Not for me."

"Let's just get it over then."

"Let's," Toph listened carefully, expecting a change in his position, a shift of his weight. But nothing came. Why wasn't he attacking? Then quickly, an exhale, the sound of a cackling flame, he knew air was her weakness. She quickly raised a rock barrier in front of her, but nothing collided with it. He was bending the fire around it. She attempted to surround herself with barriers, but before she could stomp the ground to raise them, the fireball had hit her, sending her into the air, where he caught her with three powerful strikes, sending her crashing into the ground.

She never made contact however, as a geyser of flame suddenly erupted out of the earth, burning Toph's back and lifting her into the air once more, where she suffered from another powerful blow, sending her crashing into the ground again. She felt weaker than she ever had, his blows were too powerful, she felt broken.

He lifted her up in the air slowly by the throat, "Put me down you coward!" The green wearing bender protested. He didn't answer.

"You know why the Fire Nation considers me their most powerful agent? Why they took away my parents when I was little? Because I've discovered a certain technique of fire bending which they never thought of," He told, "You see, fire is merely energy, as is lightning. Energy is all around us, in the air, in the water, in animals and humans. All we need to do is know how to bend it. I've found that all benders share one strength, the breath. Water benders, earth benders, fire benders and air benders all need the breath. I found that the breath, when combined with a human's energy, can grant me power… So long as I hold it…" He finished.

"What're you talking about? You're crazy!" Toph yelled.

"I'm talking about this…" He said, and suddenly Toph felt his lips press against hers, forcing her mouth open. Her eyes widened as she felt the heat and power fading away from her, being replaced by a freezing sensation. She couldn't move, not to mention bend, it was like she was dead; he was sucking the breath away from her, and with it, her energy and warmth. When he had finished, he dropped her to the ground. She couldn't hear him breath anymore, but she could feel a rumbling sound as he lifted a great deal of rocks from the ground, _he bended the rocks_, and held them above her. Then he dropped them, saying, "I'm sorry Toph."

000

"Hey Aang…" Katara said hours later, approaching him as he sat on the rooftop of a building. "Have you seen Toph? She's been away for a long time, and I'm a bit worried."

Aang shrugged. "No, I haven't seen her, but I think you're right, she's been away for too long. Let's split up and look for her." Katara nodded and they left in separate directions, after ordering Sokka to stay put.

Several minutes later, Katara began asking people about Toph, giving them her description. She was talking to a rather rude woman when suddenly a nearby child said, "Hey, is she an earth bender?"

Katara nodded, "Yeah she is, have you seen her?"

"Yeah, near the forest, she was doing this cool thing with some rocks. I can show you there if you want, but we should go quickly, my parents expect me home anytime now." Katara stared at him for a moment, then back to where she came from, trying to decide whether to try and find Aang and Sokka.

"Okay, let's go." She said, a girl talk, that's what Toph needed. She hoped…

The child led her out of town, "You know it's really nice of you to show me to her." She said conversationally.

"Actually… I was rather hoping that since you know her, you might introduce me, you know…" He blushed slightly. Katara smiled warmly at him, he seemed about Toph's age.

"I'm sure she'd love to meet you, though I don't know your… Toph! What happened to you?" For it was in that moment when Katara noticed an injured, burned, shaking, yet living Toph.

"He's Fire Nation." Toph said quietly, and without warning stomped the ground, sending a rock blast at the boy.

"What?" The boy said, before getting hit dead on by a protruding, diagonal rock spire, knocking him in the air, and straight into a tree.

"Toph! What are you doing?" Katara shouted, "You might have killed him!" She ran over to him, "Oh no…" She bended the water out of her pouch and unto her hands, sending an angry glance at Toph.

"Katara no, I'm telling you, he's Fire Nation!" Toph said, moving over. But Katara lashed at her with a bit of water from her pouch, holding her back.

"Toph are you crazy? He's just a kid! And what happened to you?"

"He did! He got me with his fire bending, and then he… he kissed me and tried to bury me under a pile of rocks he bended!" Toph pointed at him fiercely.

"Only the avatar can use more than one type of bending discipline. You know that!" Katara was desperately trying to heal the boy, who was very still. "I bet you were just ambushed by some fire benders, and they hit you over the head or something, but what can a kid like this possibly do already?"

"Yeah, what _could_ a kid possibly do, not like we know any powerful benders who happen to be young, do we? Oh like, I don't know, that Toph and what's his name, the one with the arrow on his head, oh Aang! That's right!" Toph said sardonically, though her voice was shaking with indignation. "And thanks for healing me up, I appreciate it." At that she left, weary, upset, and hurt. Tears were streaming down her face as she walked away from Katara, tears both of sadness and rage. Why wouldn't that stupid water bender listen? Though in the back of her mind, Toph was more concerned she was wrong rather than concerned that Katara was.

As she entered town Toph was spotted by Aang, her pool of powers was empty so as much as she wanted to, she couldn't recruit the strength to avoid him, "Toph!" He yelled, but as he approached in a light jog and saw her properly he stopped, "What happened? Where's Katara?" Toph grit her teeth, "Oh yes, good old Katara, surely she's the one standing here half dying from a fire bender attack." Aang gasped.

"I have to find her!" He tapped his staff on the ground and it spread to the glider, and he took off before Toph could even finish yelling, "No wait!" Sure, go to Katara, leave the new member of the group alone, let her bask in her pain.

She had a headache, and in addition to her numerous wounds, she was sure what would happen when she went in the inn. And sure enough, as she did, she heard Sokka's concerned voice, "Toph! What happened?" She felt Sokka run towards her, but instead of doing what she expected him to, and trying to drag her off the get bandaged, he simply hugged her instead.

"You look terrible Toph. I _knew_ something must've happened. But Katara made me stay in case you came back." Toph sighed, if anyone was going to listen to her, it was him, she remembered that he told her once about knowing someone who wasn't right, and that Katara and Aang didn't believe him and it turned out he was right all along.

"There's an insanely powerful fire bender hunting us, and he can steal other bending powers from people by kissing them, and he nearly killed me just now." She sat down on the floor, exhausted.

Sokka's first reaction was that of shocked disbelief, but after he had managed to collect himself he seemed to understand, "He can use other bending styles by kissing people?" she felt his weight shift, in a way that told her that his head was hanging, "I knew it would happen eventually…" He said, his voice defeated, Toph however, never let him finish his thoughts, as she cried angrily.

"Knew what, Sokka? That I'd get attacked by fire benders? Well that's a shocker, considering we're fighting the Fire Nation! I don't need you to care about me so much, it's only making me distracted so stop it!" She snapped at last, speaking that which she had spent so much effort keeping inside, Sokka let out a gasp, his pulse rather quickened. She shouldn't have said that, not this way.

"That wasn't what I was going to say." He spoke quietly and calmly, and moved towards the door, his steps uncertain and slightly vibrating with either anger, or insult, "I just knew that they would send someone insanely powerful after _us_, Aang's friends, eventually. That's why I kept insisting you stay close; I never wanted them to have the chance to get you alone." Toph's lower lip began trembling horribly, _I didn't mean it Sokka_… was the only thought in her head, but it never came to words. Sokka was the only one who believed her, and now she offended him. "The bandages are in my bag." as he said that he left, slamming the door powerfully behind him, Toph heard the wood crack. She began to weep and moan, everything was going so wrong… so horribly wrong…


	2. The Black Mission

**Chapter Two: The Black Mission**

Aang and Katara returned at last after an amount of time that could just as easily have been infinity in Toph's eyes. It was rather obvious that they were carrying the boy she has just grievously injured by the way they walked and by the weight on the floor. The Earthbender sighed deeply, not of relief but of disappointment. She was not facing them, not that it mattered, not to her anyway.

"He's alive, and he'll be fine." Katara informed her reproachfully, as if reminding the younger bender that she had done something wrong. "His parents just went out of town, and he has nowhere to be."

Toph hoisted herself to her bandaged feet instantly, "He's not staying here." She declared, she had already acted upon her judgment, whether flawed or not, and she was standing behind it.

"That's not your decision to make, Toph." 'Sugar Queen' stated in her annoying self-righteous voice. Toph clenched her fists, just holding back from launching a vicious attack on her.

"If he's staying, then I'm not." She warned, "And I mean for good." She could feel Katara glaring at her, but the Waterbender didn't say anything. Instead, it was Aang who spoke.

"Where's Sokka?" He asked, "Wasn't he here?"

"He was." Toph answered, "But he went out, I thought he went out to help you." She lied, it didn't make her comfortable to lie like that, but it didn't matter to her now. "And I think I'll join him, if you're gonna let that assassin in here."

"What did I ever do to you?" The boy's voice came faintly from the corner where the beds were, "I don't even know you…"

Toph turned around angrily, "No?" She asked in a shriek, "Whatever happened to: 'Oh I'm the Fire Nation's best agent'? What happened to: 'age is no indicator to power, Ms. Toph', huh?" She accused him, uncaring that in her anger she caused a small quake.

"Toph…" Aang said rather hesitantly, "He's just a little kid, how could he be such a powerful bender? I mean, more powerful than you? You're the best earth bender in the world." The last comment did not calm Toph down, despite it being a compliment.

"Because, Twinkle-Toes, I'm still BLIND! He knew I was, he attacked me from the air, where I can't see!" Toph said, "He knows our weaknesses, he's trying to kill us!"

"Cut it out, Toph." A new voice said, Sokka's voice, just as dreary as it was when he had left. "I know you've problems with being blind, but it's serious. You could have killed him." Toph couldn't believe what she was hearing, Sokka was her last hope, he was the only one who believed her. Tears of anger built up in her eyes.

"Fine, I hope he burns you all to death." She let out in a determinedly calm voice, and made to exit the room. Katara blocked her way.

"Toph wait…" She said quietly, but Toph was beyond reasoning, she sent a small, thin piece of wall crashing at her, throwing her out of the way. The way clear, Toph left the inn and began walking down the street. No one followed her. She lowered her head and turned it sideways, clenching her teeth, tears once more threatening to drip down from her cheeks to the ground. They didn't even care enough to follow her.

She was angry, raging even, and felt the need to earth bend. She left the village, and a short distance away from it, near the edge of the neighboring woods, she began raising rock spires around her, then smashing them with her bare hands. She started slow, and picked up the speed as she went, not missing a single one, despite the severe pain in her hands. She knew she wounded herself, and that she was bleeding, but she didn't care. She needed to let out steam.

She then raised a large piece of rock in the air in front of her, punching it so hard, it flew right across from her, crashing through the nearby woods and ripping through the trees.

She let out all of her frustrations, of being the newest member in the group, of not being trusted enough yet, of being constantly underrated by Sokka, because she was blind. She knew that the fire bender was getting exactly what he wanted; he was tearing her apart from them, making both easier targets.

She stomped the ground with her right foot and raised two large boulders in front of her, throwing a circular back-kick at them and thus hurling them after the first boulder.

She didn't care she was destroying trees in her rage, she didn't even think about it, perhaps she should have. After sending the two boulders soaring after the first one she turned on her heels and marched back towards the village. She was going to convince them she was right, one way or the other.

000

Three girls, two adorned in red, one in pink, were riding their reptilian mounts in the shade of forest trees, trying to move while attracting as little attention from the locals as possible. They had followed the Avatar's trail as best as possible so far, but the trail vanished now, so they were proceeding in the last known direction the Avatar took. Not too hopeful though, and on the brink of breaking pursuit.

"Hey Azula…" The pink wearing teen said, whipping her riding-lizard with the reigns and moving to be level with her quiet leader, finally gathering the courage to tell her what she wanted.

Azula looked at her from the corner of her eyes, "You know that fire bending kid? Well uh…" She said as she noticed that Azula's piercing gaze seemed rather displeased, Ty Lee knew that the kid's suggestion of sparring with her caught her off guard. From what Azula told them, it sounded like that agent was much more powerful than her, and obviously she didn't want to seem cowardly by refusing. She always did hate it when someone exceeded her at something.

"What about him?" Azula asked, her voice was deadly, yeah, Ty Lee was sure she was planning how to get the upper hand against that kid.

"Well his aura is… weird, he gives me the creeps." The gymnast tried her best to explain the strange sensation she had when she looked at him. "It's like; he was scary… like he's in control of everything. I felt like we were surrounded…"

Azula sighed slightly, debating the point of trying to explain this to her rather dim-witted friend, "Firebending is about bending energy, it's all around us, and we conjure it and manipulate it. What you felt was a constant grip on it, the readiness to fight at a hair's notice." She smiled, though it was a smile of cold pleasure, "As is to be expected from the most esteemed assassin of the Fire Nation."

True to the leader's suspicion, the pink wearing girl didn't really understand what she meant, about energy being all around them, but she understood enough to know it was a kooky Firebending thing.

"That's fantastic, and while he's out fighting the Avatar's friends, we're here… hiding." The third girl spoke at last, playing with a throwing dagger in a bored fashion.

"We're not hiding," Azula argued, "We just don't want the Avatar and his friends to realize we're still on their trail. Do we Mai?" The Fire Princess began playing with one of her bangs, but then, quickly whipped her head to the side.

The three girls all leaped off their lizards just in time to avoid being crushed by three soaring boulders. The boulders trailed out of sight, along with their mounts, which were not as fortunate.

An immediate counter attack by Azula and Mai was initiated, daggers and fireballs flying next to each other in numbers, heading towards the origin of the boulders. The next action was by Ty Lee, who leaped at a nearby tree in hopes of spotting the unknown attackers. However she was surprised to find out that there were none in sight, in fact, the trail of destruction made by the boulders was a long one, so long it was possibly impossible for the attackers to have _seen_ them. Ty Lee had a rare stroke of brilliance at that moment.

"Hey Azula," The acrobat said, one arm around the trunk of the tree she was latched unto, "Doesn't the avatar travel with a blind Earthbender kid?"

000

The first thing that greeted Toph as she entered her party's room in the inn was the word "Predictable." Spoken by the young suspected Firebender, who lifted himself to a sitting position as she entered, leaning against the back of the bed.

"Where's everyone?" Toph inquired suspiciously, assuming her battle stance. Ready and more than willing to crush the boy should he dare move. He simply shrugged, and shook his head.

"They went out to find you, figured that if you were attacked by Firebenders; you'd be more than an easy target right now."

"You're lying." Toph said confidently, even though she could hear no change in his breathing, "No one followed me when I left." The boy laughed audaciously, but stopped suddenly, as a fit of coughs came over him.

"…yeah, that's painful… Well of course no one followed you when you left. Someone had to take that wall you threw off Katara. By the time they did that, and by the time I assured them I'd be fine by myself, you have probably vanished." He slid down the bed and returned to his lying position, "Personally, I hoped you wouldn't come back."

"Yeah, so you could catch me later by myself and finish the job!" Toph accused, "It's good to know you mess up though, with the kind of power you have you could have probably finished me off with no problem if you wanted to…" Her eyelids half closed and her gaze trailed to the floor as realization struck her, "But you didn't, did you?"

"No, I didn't." The boy confessed, "The only reason I even let you injure me so was in the hope that you might decide to break off from the Avatar and thus I won't have to later." He explained, quite evenly, as though he was discussing a rather interesting change of the weather.

"And why is that, because I'm a girl, because I'm blind, because I'm young?" Toph suggested, mock ponderingly.

"My predecessor and trainer in the arts of stealth, before he tried to escape the Fire Nation, told me of something he called The Black Mission. A mission that once completed, depletes the assassin's will, and removes the taste for the kill." Toph listened intently, hoping in her heart that one of her companions would suddenly barge in the room with a loud exclamation about how she was right, but she could feel no one close by. "I always supposed that I would not ever face such a mission, which would lead to my self destruction, as his had, since I was never an assassin." Toph laughed shrilly.

"Oh really? So separating us, and then killing us, that's not being an assassin?" She questioned.

"No, I've always allowed my targets a last fight; I've never killed them unfairly." The laying boy said confidently, "I hold no illusions that it makes me any better than assassins. I just don't think about it." His voice, for the first time sounded like it really belonged to a child, apparently having a forced introduction with death so young in his life has matured him prematurely, which made him sound much like an adult rather than a child. "In any case, when Princess Azula ordered me to kill you, she mispronounced your name by the way; I had a funny feeling that this would be it. Funnily enough, it only gets stronger the more I'm moving by my plan."

"Oh wow, I never realized you must have these issues. Surely I will think of you in an entirely different level now." Toph said, though not as mockingly as she had tried to make herself sound.

"Everyone has issues, yours don't stop you from doing what you need to, and mine won't stop me from doing what I need to." Toph could imagine him frowning, though in truth, she wouldn't be able to tell if he did. "Well since you're not going to leave, then I suppose I'm gonna have to end it sooner or later, huh?" He supposed, sounding rather disappointed.

"And why shouldn't I just finish you off instead?" The Earthbending master pondered, pointing straight at the boy rather accurately.

"I don't doubt that you can," The child said, his voice sounding slightly pleased now, "But then what would your friends think? Finding my dead body here, with no trace of Firebending in sight?" He let out a chortle of laughter, "They don't fully trust you yet, you know." Toph stomped hard on the floor, which made the room shake slightly. He planned this all along, even this talk.

"I'd think you're a fortune-teller by the way you make plans, Firebender." She spat, knowing full well that she couldn't touch him currently. She sat defiantly on the floor near him, cross-legged. "I'm going to whoop your blubber the moment I convince the others. Just so you know it." She added menacingly.

"I've got a gift of certain foresight, you can't be a good killer without it, you have to figure out how people work, know their personalities, how they will react, where they will be, how to manipulate events in order to make them follow your plans. It's what really makes us, not any marvelous Firebending ability." He spoke in a pleasantly proud voice, as though he was speaking of some musical talent rather than the talent to make conditions ideal in order to kill a person.

The girl settled for a mere "Hmph" and remained silent afterwards, waiting for her friends to return, when suddenly, a subject she had so far neglected in the memory of her near death experience jumped at her. Her face burned with cold fury so suddenly, that when the Firebending boy looked at her, she could hear him gasp despite himself.

"You kissed me!" She cried angrily, her hands pushing hard against her crossed legs, staining her pants with blood. She kind of wished she'd paid more attention to her bending while she was at it then her anger, because they stung badly, but now she hardly felt them at all. All she felt was a burning desire to reduce the Firebending prodigy in front of her to a mushy paste.

"Yes, first time I've done it actually. I thought it might be nice to try a more… enjoyable way to steal your breath than just bend the heat out of you. I must say I wasn't disappointed." She glowered at him through her blind eyes and he shrugged. "What do you want me to say? Sorry I upset you by doing that? Considering I'm about to kill you and your friend I don't think it matters."

"And for one moment back there, I thought you might be a good Firebender." Toph flung at him, her voice as angry as ever. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of questioning how, regardless of the ability, he knew _how_ to Earthbend "It doesn't matter that you don't have a choice," she continued quickly, as she heard him inhale in order to begin a sentence. "You're just an evil jerk, and I'm going to get you back. You'll see." He didn't reply to that, and she had an impression that she struck a nerve. She smiled with grim satisfaction, and then felt someone coming, it was Katara.

"Stop it, I'm not a Firebender! Why are you saying such horrible things?" The boy lying on the bed yelled, obviously having heard Katara coming to the door. Toph sent him a stare of pure hatred, but said nothing. Instead, she merely sat in meditation, eyes closed, hands resting on the sides of her knees.

"Toph!" Katara came in; obviously the relief of seeing she was okay was overcome by reproach at her supposed behavior. The addressed girl did not respond, preferring the peace of her meditation, and hoping that it would shut the Waterbender up. It didn't work. However, to Toph's pleasant surprise, what Katara said next had nothing to do with the boy.

"Oh Toph, you're bleeding," She bent down to take a closer look at them, "I shouldn't have neglected your wounds. I'm sorry." The Waterbender settled down on her knees next to the Earthbender and bended the water out of her water skin, and to her hands. Working on Toph's wounds slowly, it felt a pleasant sensation to be healed, even though usually Toph would pretty much object to it. This time, however, she sent a triumphant smirk at her adversary, quietly bending a thin spire of stone to the back of the mattress he was on and poking him hard in the back. He let out a small 'ouch', probably to capture Katara's attention, but before he even finished uttering it, the small stone spire was gone.

Katara seemed completely oblivious to what had just transpired, being too focused on her colleague's wounds to notice it.

Soon, they were joined by Sokka, who came in, sighed of relief at seeing his younger peer, said hello and retreated to his corner of the room. Obviously still depressed from what she had said to him before.

Suddenly, the injured boy tensed, rising up to a sitting position once more, and getting up from the bed. Katara finally looked up from Toph's wounds as he did so, "What's wrong? You should rest…" But before she could complete the sentence, he answered.

"I forgot to feed my pig-rat, he's ill. I'll be right back." And at that, he walked, slightly tentatively out of the room. Toph couldn't tell what happened, but the change in his breathing was sudden, and extreme. She turned her head after him, trying to sense where he was going. She couldn't track him much after he had left the vicinity of the inn, and as Katara finally broke her sad gaze from the door and returned to tending her wounds, she resolved to wait until he had returned. Though Sokka didn't, this sent another triumphant smile to the Earthbender's face.

"I should go with him, he's still pretty weak." Both Katara and Toph looked at him appreciatively, though both from very different reasons.

"Thank you Sokka." Katara said, at the same time Toph whispered, "Thanks Sokka." And he left.

000

The nameless boy was speeding around the village, twisting and turning in the surrounding terrain, sometimes stopping in a desolate spot to wait and check if he was followed, and after he was confident that if he was followed, then he had lost his stalkers, he proceeded to the edge of the bordering forest. Someone was Firebending there, and he could feel it.

She couldn't have come here so quickly, she _wouldn't_ have, how could she expect him to have finished his assignment by now?

And as he approached the source of the Firebending his suspicions were confirmed, as the girl Firebending in front of him to scare a porcupine-boar was non other than Azula, princess of the Fire Nation…


	3. The Encounter

**Chapter Three: The Encounter**

When Sokka finally gave up trying to keep up with the wounded child and began to try and find his way back to the inn he definitely had a strong suspicion in him. With all due respect to Katara's healing ability, his object of stalking has been moving as though he had barely been injured. And Sokka knew that Toph aimed to maim when she injured him, seeing as she seemed absolutely convinced that he nearly killed her himself.

One thing was sure though, if he had any sort of mole-rat, or pig-rat, whatever it was. It did not reside within his supposed house in the village. Feeling slightly ashamed of his inability to keep track of the boy, Sokka made his way back to the village, that is until he heard the shriek of a porcupine-boar.

He turned his head just in time to see the said boar lunge at him, reflexively, the warrior dropped to the ground, allowing the creature to pass above him, however, when he turned to confront the animal, he had noticed that it was running away from him, rather than trying to attack him.

"Yeah, you'd better run." Sokka muttered under his breath, grinning. He shut up however when he heard voices right beyond the small hill he was climbing.

"I need more time." A dark, deep voice stated.

"I'm unimpressed; I've thought someone of your power would already be done with it." A familiar voice replied, Sokka's eyes widened, it was Azula.

"I could kill them all in an instant, princess, as they're following the wrong lead. But you want the avatar out of this; therefore I must be discreet and cautious. Give me more time." To Sokka it sounded more like a command than a request, and apparently it did the same for the blue-flame bending princess for her tone of voice changed to an unhappy one.

"Very well, _assassin_… you have three days." The princess answered strangely, from what Sokka saw of her, he was sure she'd refuse. Then slow realization hit him, _she was scared of him_.

"Thank you princess, I shall not fail you." Sokka took it as the time to bail, there was an assassin after them, but he sounded nothing like the child. Maybe the child was just co-operating with the assassin?

He sprinted all the way back to the village, wanting to reach it as soon as possible to relay what he had just heard. He had to warn the others.

000

By the time the boy returned stumbling quite off balance through the door Toph's wounds were healed to the best of Katara's ability. Apparently they were never serious, just numerous. He really wasn't trying to kill her, but it felt so much so when he sucked her breath away, like she was dying, like she would never be warm again.

On the boy's shoulder was now a small pig-rat, snorting happily, but then recoiling as Momo flew up to have a closer look at it. The boy put the rat on the floor, where it scurried around as Momo chased it. His legs were slightly trembling; it was obvious he was standing despite his protesting muscles.

"Don't worry boy, he's not gonna hurt you." The boy reassured the rat, who was now hiding between his feet.

Toph couldn't feel Sokka nearby, so who was Sokka following, if at all? Her face must've shown her surprise, for Katara, who was giggling at the little rat's scurrying suddenly, as though she picked up what Toph was thinking, questioned the boy.

"Wait, wasn't Sokka with you?" She looked at the door expectantly, as if expecting the said individual to simply march through the door. But nothing came through.

The boy seemed thoroughly confused, "Is that the blue guy or the orange guy?" Obviously referring to the respected outfits of Sokka and Aang, Toph disliked this charade, he obviously knew who she meant.

"The one in the blue clothes," Katara answered, at which point Toph felt terrible vibrations in the ground. Someone was running towards them, she could feel by the way the person ran that it was Sokka.

"He's coming." She announced and turned her head towards the door, the heads of the boy and Katara followed her blind gaze, all were expecting the door to open, but instead, a loud crash was heard and the door shook slightly at the impact. Despite herself, Toph erupted in laughter.

"It opens the other way you dim-wit!" She yelled through fits of giggles, now joined by Katara and the boy, who hastened to pick up his cornered rat before Momo jumped it, and replaced it on his shoulder.

The door swung open, and a flat-sounding Sokka entered, "Of every single place we've been in, this place is the only one with doors that can't be opened in a rush…" He started, but stopped, probably he saw the boy, Toph wondered what went on outside after Sokka and the kid left. Sokka's expression was cryptic, and he did not speak for a moment, probably considering his words. She could feel him tapping his foot, seemingly impatiently, but with a rhythm that made her feel as though he was trying to convey something to her. She looked at him, and he began speaking.

"There's someone after us Katara, Toph was right." The boy's heart pace seemed concerned for the first time, and Toph grinned as she was finally backed up. "But, it's not the kid Toph." Sokka continued, and Toph's face fell, "The assassin is much older, and unless the boy can teleport it can't be him." Toph stared at the boy with immense surprise, how could it be?

"I told you I wasn't a Firebender!" The boy exclaimed, then going into another fit of coughs, genuine as far as Toph could tell. He instantly sat down on the nearest bed, continuing his coughing fit, it sounded serious even to Toph. But she didn't realize exactly how much it was until Katara screamed in surprise.

"You're bleeding!" Apparently, the spray of liquid she thought was saliva was in fact the same such life sustaining liquid. Toph turned her head towards the boy, now deep concerned stretched over her features. She couldn't feel the boy's pulse, as his weight was not fully on the floor, but she was sure it was irregular and racing.

The boy himself seemed terrified, legs thrashing about as he continued coughing without pause. Toph could feel Katara rushing over to him, and she could hear her bending the water out of her water-skin. The powerful implications of what Toph had done have suddenly rained down upon the blind Earthbender. If the boy dies, then she would be a killer, no better than the assassin she sought to abolish. She felt like someone grasped her heart with a stony hand and twisted it in place. She placed a hand over it, and felt a warm hand on her shoulder, Sokka's hand. He didn't need to speak, just the act was enough, reassuring, as though he had just whispered in her ear, "It's going to be alright, he's going to be fine." To Toph's immense relief, he never said those words; he just kneeled next to her, in silence, when the light footsteps of the avatar suddenly appeared behind the door.

"What's going on?" Aang asked, as he saw the grim demeanor of everyone in the room. The boy under Katara's care was now silent, the coughing fit over. Toph was sure that Katara's hand was over his chest, glowing as Sokka once described to her, as she attempted to heal the wound.

Everyone remained silent, and Aang seemed to pick up the hint, he sat nearby and didn't dare look at neither Toph nor the boy.

000

That evening, there was an iron grip of tense silence on the four travelers, and on their new guest, none of them could look him in the eye, Toph had never been more happy in her life she couldn't see. Because she didn't think she could stand to see the looks upon her companions' faces. She suddenly felt a tug from under her armpits, and she was lifted up to her legs.

"Come on Toph, I think we should take a walk." It was Katara, her voice was quiet and considered, sympathetic too. Toph couldn't muster any defiance at that moment, and let Katara take her hand and lead her out of the room.

"I'm going to be fine." The boy said to no one in particular, "She only said the injury was serious, not that it was… well... And it doesn't feel that bad. I just need time to heal."

"Yeah, if Katara keeps it up you should be just fine by the morning;" Sokka reassured him, "she just needs fresh water to work with. So she's taken Toph with her, you know to talk to her."

"She's probably feeling guilty huh? But I'm fine! Really am." The boy suddenly looked puzzled, "I haven't told you my name yet, have I? It's Li, Li-Huo. But you can call me Li."

"A pleasure, Li, I'm Aang, and this is Sokka." Aang introduced, gesturing at himself and Sokka as he announced their names.

The boy giggled when he gestured at Sokka, "Funny-man" He fondly named the warrior, causing Sokka to moan.

Aang was now holding Momo in his arms, as to prevent him from charging at Li's pig-rat, who was now sniffing around, picking up all sorts of human scents, and most importantly, food…

"You're the avatar aren't you?" Li asked studying Aang's strange appearance, "You sure look like him from the posters." He added.

"Yeah, I'm the avatar." Aang smiled embarrassedly, and the boy perked up suddenly.

"Wow, that's so cool! You're an Airbender right? Can you show me an Airbending trick?" The boy asked excitedly, "Please?" He added, with the cutest sparkly puppy dog eyes he could muster.

"I think it's a good idea to tell everyone you're the avatar, what with us having a mad Fire Princess on our backs, and a trained assassin trying to kill us." Sokka interjected ironically, crossing his arms and nodding in mock-approval.

"I thought we already established that Li isn't the assassin?" Aang asked, and Li quickly joined in.

"Yeah funny-man, I thought you said I'm not the bad guy?" He gave Sokka the same look he gave Aang, but Sokka seemed unaffected.

"Fine…" He said finally, looking at the floor, but then Li apparently changed his mind.

"Well, actually, he's right, how about later Aang? I think I should go and tell that girl I'm alright, I bet she's sad, I don't want her to be sad. What's her name again?"

"It's Toph." Sokka answered, "Just, try not to surprise her, or she'll probably kick you all the way to the Fire Nation."

"Toph, okay… Thanks funny-man." Sokka's face fell as he said that, and seeing this, Aang burst in silent giggles.

"It's not my fault! How was I supposed to know the door opens the other way!?" Li heard Sokka yell as he left, and laughed.

000

Toph was sitting on the edge of the village's well, one foot was on the rim of the well, it was bent, embraced by Toph's arms, and the other was swinging in the air, being too short to reach the ground. The well was made of stone, so Toph, while being slightly nearsighted, was not blind.

Katara in the meantime was practicing her Waterbending, playing around with a blob of water from the well in the air.

"It's alright Toph…" She said, "Even if I can't heal him, I'm sure he'll forgive you. You were distraught, you were attacked by a Firebender, you were confused and scared. It's not your fault." She tried to reassure her friend.

"But… when you guys left to look for me, and I came back… he admitted it. He confessed, there has to be two of them Katara, it doesn't make sense!" Toph said, tightening her embrace on her leg.

"Maybe you fainted, and dreamt it?" Katara suggested, "It could've been just trauma Toph." Toph had rather enough of everyone questioning her sanity just because she was attacked by a Firebender; she twisted her face and didn't answer. But suddenly, the air around her felt weird, she felt as though they were being watched. But she couldn't feel anyone. She got off the well, so she could better feel her surroundings, but there was nothing there.

"Do you get the feeling we're being watched?" Katara suddenly asked, confirming Toph's suspicions.

Suddenly, Katara pushed her back, saying urgently, "It's the assassin."

"What? Where?" Toph asked, she couldn't feel anything, except a weird ticklish feeling around her.

"We're surrounded by fire Toph, a big circle of it." Katara described, holding Toph's hand tightly, in case she had to pull her away.

Suddenly, Toph felt a rumble in the ground, originating from the well. She stumbled forwards, pulling Katara with her, as she heard an explosion. Katara gasped, "He vaporized the well!" She said; hand on her water-skin. Toph could imagine a geyser of flame rising from inside the hole, sending up vast amounts of steam.

"I will give you one warning, leave the avatar, or perish." A dark voice said, Toph suddenly realized what the ticklish feeling meant, besides it being a wall of flame. She was blinded; she couldn't see anything beyond it.

"The fire, it goes deep in the ground, I can't feel anything past it." She whispered to Katara.

Suddenly they heard a shout, "Fire! FIRE! Aang, Sokka, help!" it was the boy, Toph recognized, suddenly she heard the boy scream, this time, as though he was attacked.

"Leave him alone!" Both she and Katara cried, both sending their bending elements at the wall of fire surrounding them in order to break it.

While the shockwave Toph sent, which was supposed to restore her vision in that direction merely passed through the fire and disappeared, she could hear Katara's water sizzle and turn into steam, never getting past the burning barrier.

But as suddenly as it started, the fire went out, and Toph's feeling was restored to her, but she could feel no one else around, the boy included.

She could feel villagers standing at their doors, and windows, but being obviously too scared to go out. This made her angry.

"Where's the boy?" Katara asked worriedly, "Toph, can you…"

"No." The blind girl answered before her Waterbending companion could finish the question. "I think the… Hold on…" for she suddenly felt Li's footsteps behind her, he was running towards them. She turned around to greet him, but was suddenly struck by a tremendous, searing force, sending her through the air.

"Toph!" She heard Katara scream, she was bracing herself for a powerful collision with either the ground or a wall, but she was grabbed before any such thing could happen. Evidently, Aang had arrived on the scene. She managed a weak smile at him, before losing consciousness.

000

"Sokka, take her somewhere safe!" Aang commanded, handing his Earthbending teacher to his trusted friend and turning to look at her assailant. Sokka seemed reluctant to leave Aang and Katara alone to face this new threat, but did as he was told, running as fast as he could.

"Aang I don't have any water to bend!" Katara informed, concern etched into her face. Her hair loopies swung along with the wind, she tried to collect the humidity from the area to have enough water to bend, but it would take time. Time she didn't have.

The assassin, dressed in black garbs, covering his body and face like bandages stopped dead in his tracks as he shot the fireball at Toph, and was now measuring his two new opponents carefully, through flame-colored eyes. He wasn't much taller than Aang, and by the way he stood, it was obvious he was light on his feet.

Aang prepared his staff and took his battle stance.

The assassin breathed deeply, before moving forwards, spinning around, arms spread wide, leaving trails of fire as he moved, he began skipping as he moved forwards, still spinning, after a few of these he jumped high, landing between Katara and Aang, sending a circle of fire around him at them, forcing Katara to take cover behind the well and knocking Aang backwards despite the air shield he manifested by rotating his staff quickly.

The assassin persisted, but not after Aang, he leaped above the well, spinning as he did so, until his whole person was surrounded by a brilliant flame. Then, as he began to descent towards Katara, he ended his rotation, and concentrated all of the fire around him to a great ball of fire in his hands, launching it at Katara.

Katara screamed and raised her hands in front of her protectively, but before the ball could make contact, she was moved out of place by Aang, thanks to his new Earthbending abilities: He slid the ground she was on away from the fireball, which now washed over the area around the well, scorching the ground in its path. The assassin landed where Katara had just been and delivered a semi circle kick at her, unleashing a brilliant blade of flame at her. Which was once again, blocked by Aang's Earthbending, this time raising a rock barrier to protect her. The barrier was not strong enough to withstand the force of the kick however, and it shattered, leaving Katara once again vulnerable.

"Leave her alone! It's me you want!" Aang yelled, sprinting at the assassin and swinging his staff at him, creating a ferocious and concentrated gust, which the assassin countered it with a fireball he shot from both his fists, sending them forwards together reflexively.

The assassin then spread his arms to his sides, as if doing a breast stroke, except that he continued until his hands met behind his back, thus raising another firewall around him and blocking Aang's next assault with it. Then, the black wearing bender raised his arms upwards in a quick movement, sending another circle of fire in all directions, forcing Aang to raise another barrier to protect Katara, and in doing so, get knocked back before he could prepare another proper air shield. This time however, he was knocked out after colliding with the wall of a house.

But Katara had finished what she was doing, and a blob of water was now floating in the air in front of her, ready to strike. But the assassin, after turning back from Aang, raised his hands in submission.

"I don't want to do this." He whispered urgently, "If you can keep away from the avatar there will be no need for bloodshed."

"No need for bloodshed? What would you call attacking us like that, what do you call taking that poor boy?"

"Boy…?" The assassin asked, but then shook his head, "Look at the time I chose to attack, at night, when you're more powerful and I'm at a disadvantage, and look at my bending, it's weak, there's no passion behind it, passion drives us Firebenders. Just back off the avatar, and there will be no need for bloodshed." It took Katara a moment to realize what the assassin had just said, if he chose to attack them at his weakest point, and his Firebending was still more powerful than any they had seen so far, then how would he fight at high noon in the middle of summer?

"We're not deserting Aang, and we will protect him from the likes of you!" Katara called, launching a water whip at the assassin, who jumped out of the way, landing on a nearby roof, then shaking his head and disappearing into the night.

000

Toph was standing on a pillar of ground, she couldn't feel anything other than the pillar she was on, and there were sounds all around her, screams. She could hear Katara, begging for mercy, she could hear Sokka, crying and pleading, and she could hear Aang, his unearthly voice as he enters the avatar mode screeching. She could also hear laughter, terrible, maniacal laughter, the boy's laughter…

She woke up, drenched in cold sweat, she could feel she was in the inn, and it was filled with commotion, as Sokka, Katara, Aang and the boy were discussing something very loudly.

"What happened…?" Toph asked, rubbing her temple to try and calm down her headache. "We were attacked by the Firebender… and then…."

"Then Li, the boy you attacked, came by and alerted Aang and Sokka." Katara said, "But he felt something pulling him and me and Aang found him unconscious after we chased the Firebender away, during the fight, Sokka took you to safety, because the assassin caught you head on with a fireball." She told, speaking appreciatively, obviously happy they survived the night with no serious injuries.

"But… I felt him running at us, he was the one who shot the fireball at me." Toph said, remembering the running she felt before she was hit by the Firebender's attack, and pointing at Li again.

"That's impossible Toph; he couldn't have gone back to where we found him so fast after the fight without us seeing him. Not to mention having the time to change clothes" Aang assured, though he was not certain himself.

"Look kid, as I was saying, it's not safe for you to be around us anymore," Sokka started, diverting the subject from what Toph was sure was labeled in his mind as "Toph's rambling", she frowned as he continued. "If that guy comes back, you might get seriously hurt."

"Sokka's right, now that you're better you should wait in your house until your parents come back." Katara joined in, and Toph wondered how long she was out of it, Li seemed determined to change their minds, but gave in finally.

"I guess I can't argue with you." He said dejectedly.

"It doesn't matter, because we're leaving." Aang said, "The assassin could have hurt someone today, we can't endanger this village anymore."

"Not that we should care about those cowardly wimps." Toph suddenly said, "They were all awake, they just didn't want to help because they were scared, so they decided to let the Firebender kill us."

Katara's breath suddenly went shallower and Toph turned her head at her.

"He… The Firebender, he said he wouldn't have to kill us if we left you, Aang." Toph's eyes widened, "He said that he didn't want to kill us, that's why he attacked us when he was at his weakest, and when we had the advantage." Katara confided. "I mean, think about it, at night, Firebenders grow weaker, and Waterbenders become more powerful with the powers of the moon." She explained, "And he also said he'd lost his passion, that it was what drives Firebenders…" She recounted.

Toph stood up swiftly, "_Li_, if that's his real name, said the same thing! I can't have been dreaming that now! He said something about a Black Mission, which would make him lose his passion, and that he wanted you to think I'm crazy so I'll leave and he won't have to kill me!" Li's pulse, which Toph could sense, as he was sitting on the floor, was very stable, and he seemed to make nothing serious of what she had just said, almost as though he was dismissing it as a game he didn't feel like playing anymore.

"But… after he supposedly kidnapped Li, and I accused him of it, he seemed surprised to learn Li was even there… it doesn't make sense…" Katara wondered, leaving the group to consider the matter for a moment.

"Something stinks around here, and Li is in the thick of it all." Toph called, she could feel everyone hanging their heads, as if ashamed of her behavior.

Li said nothing, and shook his head slowly, but in Toph's mind he was grinning maliciously. When he spoke, his voice was measured, and somewhat melancholic.

"You're never going to stop hating me, are you?" He asked, she couldn't really tell, but she could feel that he was looking down at the floor.

No one responded, no one really knew how to, really, and the boy just got to his feet and went to the door.

"You're right Sokka; I'll be safer in my house. Thanks for your hospitality, and companionship." He said coolly, picking up his pig-rat from a nearby bed, where Momo was still staring at it dangerously, obviously oblivious to what was going on.

As he closed the door behind him Sokka said weakly, "Uh… no… problem?"

"Come on guys, let's get packing." Aang instructed, though in a rather motivation-less manner, "We should leave first thing tomorrow morning. Now that we don't have Appa, we have a long journey ahead of us."

Toph was silent, if that boy was indeed the assassin; he was the best actor she had ever met in her life. His voice had sounded so utterly devastated as he talked to her, that she couldn't believe it to be faked so.

Just for making her so confused, she resolved to bury the assassin up to his head in the desert. He was crushing them mentally, as well as physically, straining them, seeing how far they'll bend before breaking. Maybe Li wasn't really guilty, maybe the assassin simply made sure that his "image" in Toph's mind was eternally linked to him. Toph couldn't know, but she was sure it was him every time the assassin attacked her, absolutely certain. Exactly the same weight, with exactly the same posture, it was impossible for it to be anyone else.

She grabbed her bag and held it close to her, not having managed to take out anything from it since they arrived and therefore, with no need to pack. Once more in her life the Earthbending master felt like falling asleep and never waking up. For the first time however, she feared sleep, she feared the screams and she feared the laughter, but she felt its clutches carry her off, quietly, unnoticeably, just like the assassin would want to….


	4. A Good Conversation

**Chapter Four: A Good Conversation**

Toph and her three traveling companions stood at the edge of the village, just after the sun glimpsed from above the woods at them. Li didn't come to send them off, to Toph's immense displeasure. She'd have liked to say something, anything. To her it seemed that not only she has wounded him physically, but now, also mentally.

She felt the others turn to look at her, for she was still facing in the direction of the village. She turned around and began walking, but then she felt that ticklish feeling again, like she was blinded.

She turned in spot, and her companions with her, she heard screams, she heard pleads for help. She could smell the burning houses, burning wood, burning hay, burning flesh.

"He's burning the village!" Sokka yelled, and she felt him move next to her.

"We have to help them!" Aang yelled, and all took to run over to the village, when suddenly, Toph's sight became much more limited, due to a wall of flame rising in their path.

Aang and the Water Tribe siblings merely sprinted through it, but Toph, blind to what was going on at the village was too afraid to do so. She'd be no help if she couldn't see properly there, she'd only distract them.

But then, after a moment or so of anxious anticipation, the villagers' screams died out… Toph breathed as sigh of relief, to be exchanged by a gasp of terror, as a new set of screams rose from the village, her friends'. After a moment of trying to gather the nerve to go past the wall of flame, Toph heard something whistle as it soared through the air, and barely stepped aside in time to dodge it. When it struck the ground, she recognized it immediately; the prolonged object now lodged in the soil before her was Aang's staff.

"No! Leave them alone!" The Earthbending master screamed, sending flying boulders everywhere she could in the direction of the village; raising her arms quickly and punching the boulders powerfully, without aim.

And then the laughter came, Li's laughter, from behind her. Before she could turn around however, she was grabbed by the back of her neck, and lifted to the air.

"No! Let me go!" She commanded, punching and kicking at the air.

The laughter kept coming, and the back of her neck suddenly felt warm, hot, flaming. She was burning, she was on fire! She screamed with all of her lungs, thrashing wildly in the assassin's grip, until he finally relinquished.

000

It took her a long time to figure out that the assassin's hand grabbing her was no more than the strap of her bag on her back, and that she was having a very terrible nightmare. She felt Katara's soothing hand against her forehead, and the Waterbender shushed her gently.

"It's all right Toph, you had a nightmare…" Katara assured her.

"A pretty nasty one," She heard Sokka suppose, and she began reaching out with her senses to see who was in the room. She expected Momo, Sokka, Katara and Aang, but her heart clouded and her hair stood on end when she also felt Li in the same room, and she crawled backwards, pushing herself against the wall, to get away from him.

"Toph, it's okay, no one's going to hurt you." Aang said, approaching her, yet keeping a certain distance, giving her space.

"You have a fever Toph. Aang; we can't go on when she has a fever." She heard Katara say, "She needs rest."

"Then you're going to stay?" Li asked; his tone unreadable, "What if that Fire Nation guy comes back?"

"We'll just have to deal with him," Sokka answered, "As of now; we don't go anywhere alone, only in pairs and Li, we've already told you it was dangerous to be around us. Last night you could've been hurt."

"Living here is always dangerous, what with the porcupine boars always around." Li argued, "And I can take care of myself!"

"Fine, have it your way, no one ever listens to the sane one!" Sokka called indignantly.

"Funny, I remember the last time we listened to you we were almost buried under the desert with a giant owl." Katara said; her tone however, was not as amused as it would be.

"How was I supposed to know the owl would freak out like that?" Sokka yelled in indignation.

"Could you be more quiet Sokka?" Aang asked softly, and Toph had no doubt that he was looking at her. Katara removed her soothing hand from Toph's forehead, and despite very much wanting to call out for her not to, the Earthbender remained silent, contemplating.

"I'm gonna go." Li said suddenly, "I've got an idea." He continued, then elaborating. "Katara said yesterday that the assassin was surprised to learn that I was there, right? Well, if he doesn't know I'm with you, I can pretend to be exploring, and find out where he's hiding!"

"Yeah… no." Sokka answered immediately, "Too dangerous, if you find him, he might kill you."

"You're not my dad, you can't tell me what to do!" Li said, and Toph could hear the thump that meant Li had just kicked Sokka in the shin.

"Ow!" Sokka yelled, and Toph could feel him jumping on one foot. She suddenly felt Momo landing next to her on the floor, purring as he rubbed his head against her cheek.

"I'm gonna do it, I'm telling you, I'll be fine, I promise! Bye!" Li quickly said, and before anyone could argue, he left.

"I have half a mind to let him get burned down by that Firebender." Sokka said flatly, and Toph imagined him rubbing his shin, she wouldn't be able to tell though, since he was now sitting on his bed.

"Look, what are the chances a twelve years old would be able to find a trained assassin?" Katara asked, "Though, I've got to say that there's something about that one…"

"Yeah, he pops up at all the wrong places, and how come I've never seen him talking to anyone else from the village?" Sokka wondered.

"Thinking about it, have you seen anyone of this village at all besides the innkeeper? It's almost like they're afraid of us." Aang pointed out, and Toph could feel him walking around restlessly.

"We should just get out of here… I'll be fine…" she said weakly, "This place is just… wrong."

"No Toph, if the assassin catches us on the road, with you sick and all, he's going to use that against us." Aang contradicted her. "The best thing we can do now is stick together; we have to be on our guard. Like Sokka said, we shouldn't go anywhere alone."

"If that means I'm gonna have to take that pervert with me when I go to the bathroom then I think I'd rather face the assassin." Toph replied, trying to get some laughs out of the situation. Aang and Katara laughed, and Sokka resented.

"That was _not_ the idea I had in mind when I said that." He claimed, stomping on the floor with his foot and crossing his arms, Aang and Katara still laughing.

000

Ty Lee and Mai were both relaxing, Mai sitting on the ground, leaning against the trunk of a tree, and Ty Lee hanging upside down from one of the lower branches.

"Ah, how I'd like to just go in that village in the middle of the night and just grab that cutie…" She said, eyes sparkling.

"And then what would you do with him? I don't think he'll be really cooperative, seeing that he's our enemy and all." Mai stated dully, yawning.

"Oh, but that's the beauty of it… He doesn't _have_ to be cooperative. Well, not at first anyway... But I'm sure I'll manage to… persuade him…" Ty Lee gave an upside down, mischievous smile at her partner.

"Right… if there's one thing that scares me, Ty Lee, it's the thought that you might one day have children." Mai said monotonically.

"Ooh, I haven't thought that far ahead yet!" Ty Lee said, her voice loaded with excitement, "Do you really think he'll want to?"

"No, Ty Lee, I think he'll be too busy trying to bite off the rope you'll tie him up with." Mai answered, though without a shade of amusement in her voice.

"Hmph, look who's talking, miss Zuko…" Ty Lee said, nimbly lifting herself up to a sitting position on her branch and jumping to a higher one.

"Shut up." Mai warned, though blushing slightly.

"Mai and Zuzu sitting in a tree… K. I. S. S… whoa!" Ty Lee cried of surprise, as a small ball of flame just nearly missed her face, she reeled back, almost losing her balance, but then straightened up again.

"Quiet you two," The newly arrived Azula called, approaching them now.

"Hi Azula!" Ty Lee called cheerfully as though her trusted leader did not just shoot a flaming orb at her, swinging down to the ground, "So where've you been?"

Azula smiled coldly to that question, and sufficed by saying, "Making arrangements…" The gymnast and her glum partner exchanged glances, when Azula was this mysterious; it usually meant she had something big up her sleeve.

"Let's go." The leader ordered, and her companions hastened to comply.

000

"Maybe we can talk the assassin out of killing us?" Aang asked hopefully.

"Actually…" Toph mentioned, "When he attacked me the first time, he said he wasn't sure his orders were worth killing us. But afterwards I didn't give him much time to talk."

"Great, we're being chased by an assassin with morality conflicts," Sokka said dejectedly, now standing. He then proceeded to a pretty much unfounded impersonation of the assassin, "Wait, I don't know if it's all right to kill you, oh well, I have my orders, whoosh." At that he mimicked a Firebending move he caught in the numerous times they were attacked by Fire Nation soldiers.

"Hold on a minute…" Aang said suddenly, apparently looking at Sokka, "Katara, did you recognize any of the moves he used on us? I mean, from the other Firebenders we've fought?" He asked.

"Uh, no actually, I don't think I've ever seen a Firebender fight like that before." Katara said ponderingly.

"I think it kind of makes sense, I mean, if he's the best assassin they have he must be sent out for very powerful and experienced people right?" Sokka asked and Toph nodded.

"Yeah, he said he "met" with some of the mightiest Earth Generals of the time…"

"Well, obviously, having fought so many Firebenders they'd know what to expect right? But if he uses his own style of Firebending, that only he knows, he doesn't just take away that advantage from his targets, but also adds the advantage of surprise to himself." Sokka elucidated.

"Like Toph, she has her own Earthbending style, so most Earthbenders would have a hard time figuring out what she's doing." Katara agreed.

"Okay, so we're dealing with an insanely powerful, trained, conflicted _and_ unexpected assassin. That's just great." Sokka called hopelessly.

"That's not helping Sokka." Katara said irritably, and Toph could feel her tapping her foot impatiently on the ground.

"He said he'll let us go if we left Aang, what if we left and joined you in Ba Sing Se?" She offered.

"No, Katara, think!" Sokka said exasperatedly, "Azula knows we're here, once we separate from Aang, she'll be all over him like a swarm of vulture-bees!"

"He's right," Toph agreed, "The only thing we can do is fight back, hard, and hope we win."

"He knows us though, he'll find a way to separate us again, I'm sure he will." She continued, "All we have to do is take him out before he figures out how to do that. I feel bad for saying it, but if we can get Li to find out where he's hiding, that would be our best shot." Toph couldn't tell, but she had a pretty strong feeling that Katara was sending her a very dirty look.

"Let's just hope the kid doesn't get himself burnt." Sokka agreed, and after a moment, in which Katara undoubtedly threw _him_ a dirty look, he said, "What? He wanted to do it! I told him not to! Ow!" Another clunk was heard, and undoubtly Katara had kicked Sokka in the shin as well.

"Did you have to kick the same one?" He asked heatedly.

While the two Water Tribe siblings argued, Aang sat down near Toph, scratching Momo's back.

"How're you feeling?" He asked her.

"Not so good, Twinkle-Toes…" Toph responded mock-conversationally, "I've been attacked twice by an assassin yesterday. How's it going with you?"

Aang let out a small chuckle, and a sigh, "We'll come through… We always do…" he said finally.

"Yeah, but then, we never really needed Sokka…" She smiled slyly at Aang, who snorted with laughter.

No one seemed inclined to leave their room in the inn that morning, and excruciatingly slowly, the afternoon crept up on them. Toph still wasn't at her best, and the others were getting increasingly nervous and paranoid, Sokka mentioning a few times that the assassin might just set the building aflame and let them burn inside of it.

So it was no surprise, when Li came back, that he had Sokka's boomerang, Katara's water, and Aang's staff aimed at him.

"Uh, it's just me." He quickly said, raising his arms to show his non hostile intentions. "Have you been staying here the whole time?"

"Well Li, some of us are not interested in coming face to face with a Firebender set on killing them." Sokka answered.

"So you're going to let him keep you all locked up inside? Isn't that what he wants?" He questioned, leaning on his left leg, which was positioned slightly behind the right one.

"If we go out he'll just ambush us again." Katara replied, her voice filled with frustration.

"So… you'll stay here, where you're sitting ducks and wait?" Li asked, "I mean, no disrespect and all, but I'm twelve and I could think of a better plan."

"But Toph's sick, we can't just move on while she's with fever." Aang argued, to which Toph had the strange feeling Li glanced at her.

"Oh, right… _her_." He said, his tone dropped when he said the last word, and it was apparent that his sympathy towards Toph was very limited after her constant accusations of him being a Firebender.

"Well you're the avatar! And you're a Waterbender! And uh… he has a boomerang…." He stated.

Sokka took a deep breath, probably in order to yell that he could very much defend himself, but Katara interjected.

"Li if it was that simple, there really wouldn't be a problem!" She said.

"I guess… well in any case, I convinced that old fraud of a merchant to open up shop. So you should probably go and get supplies, and do it quickly, he might close shop at any moment, that wimp." He suggested, and then adding "After last night everyone are scared to go out of their homes."

"Thank you Li, that's thoughtful of you." Katara said appreciatively, getting up on her feet, "Would it be okay if we leave you here with Toph?" She asked.

"But the assassin!" Sokka cried, and Katara placed her hands on her hips.

"We'll only be gone for a short while, and it's a small village, if anything happens we'll be right back!"

"Oh fine, but you'd better not try to steal anything, I'll check!" He threatened.

"Like I need your junk, funny-man, remember the door opens outwards." Li flung at the warrior, giggling as he did.

"Oh very funny," Sokka said exasperatedly, letting himself be dragged off by Katara, who was following Aang outside, muttering.

"We'll be right back."

Toph could feel them leaving the inn along with Momo, who flew over to Aang's shoulder once he stood up.

Toph waited in silence for several moments, but felt she had to say something to Li, but before she could, Li himself talked.

"I swear, I'm starting to like you guys too much." Li stopped her before she even started. "Frankly I'm just as confused as you are." His voice suddenly sounded not older than his age, but somehow more mature.

Toph couldn't understand what he was talking about, she turned to face him, and he sat down in front of her.

"They picked me out as a baby you know, to be an assassin." Toph's milky-green eyes widened, was she hallucinating again? How could Li be the assassin? Or were there two of them, as she suspected?

"So they took you away from your parents?" She asked conversationally, deciding to go along with it for now.

"No, they took my parents away from me, and they keep me under the constant threat of their death." He told sadly, "that's why I have to do what I do."

"Am I imagining this, or is Li the assassin?" The Earthbender asked directly, hoping to finally get an answer for her questions.

"Could be both, could be neither, you can never tell." The assassin said mysteriously then proceeding to a short tale.

"I once met an Earth General, called General Shan; he had invented his own style of fighting. In battles, instead of physically engaging in combat, he'd use his bending to create a creature, made out of rock, which he would use to crush his opponents. The creature was gigantic, so big in fact, that most Firebending would not affect it in the least bit. He called it a Golem. So I had to think fast, as even my outstanding Firebending could not destroy the beast completely, seeing as the general kept replenishing it with his bending. I observed that while controlling the Golem, the general was very vulnerable, the problem was, that I could not reach him, due to the creature defending him. So on the spot, I invented my very own technique, the Phoenix, and I used it to not to dodge around the Golem, but to go straight through it, the general, still busy with controlling the Golem didn't have enough time to raise his defense and thus, he was defeated."

"Get to the point." Toph said coolly.

"I'll let you think about that." He replied evenly. Afterwards, he remained silent, apparently waiting for Toph to say something.

"So you really don't know whether you should kill us or not?" The Earthbending master asked finally, slightly taken off guard by the assassin's anecdote.

"I don't want to kill you, but you must understand I don't have any choice. That's why I'm trying to get you away from the Avatar. I know you hate me, and frankly, I don't know what to make of it. I guess that's the price I have to pay." He said.

"If you joined us, we could help you free your parents." Toph offered, to which he refused.

"If they even think I've betrayed them, they'll kill my parents, and they'll send everything they have at me. If I travel with you, I'll only make your journey that much more dangerous, imagine trying to fight off the entire army of the Fire Nation… No it won't work, and I know what you're thinking, but I was never meant to teach Aang Firebending." He said in a rush, "Besides, I'm too tainted. I killed too many people, the blood on my hands will never be washed off."

"Everyone deserves to be forgiven, if you turn your back on the past and act to redeem yourself, and help us bring peace to the world, I'm certain the spirits of those you killed would be able to forgive you." Toph asserted firmly, "But not if you keep feeling sorry for yourself and do as the Fire Nation tells you. If you're going to change, you have to do it now, or it won't matter, if you show remorse, and if you act to make things right again, you'll have a chance. But if you don't try, then you're wasting your time talking to us, and you might as well focus on just killing us." She finished, speaking fiercely.

"This has been a good conversation, Toph, thank you." The assassin stated, to the Earthbender's confusion.

"What do you mean a good conversation?" She questioned, slightly bewildered.

"I gave you something to think about, and you gave me something to think about. That is what a good conversation is. Farewell." And before she could even say another word to him, everything seemed to change.

She rose up from her bed and rubbed her eyes, "Was I sleeping?" She asked no one in particular.

"Were you ever," Answered Sokka's amused voice, "You were actually snoring for a while there." He chortled.

"What time is it?" She asked sleepily, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Past sundown," Toph placed her legs on the floor, so now she could feel Sokka right in front of her.

"Where're the others?" The blind girl asked, not feeling them anywhere nearby.

"Li went home to check on his pig rat, and Aang and Katara are trying to figure out how to refill the village's well, seeing that the assassin vaporized it and all that."

"So they had a pervert like you watch over me while I sleep?" She asked mockingly.

"Yup, actually, I must say you're pretty cute when you sleep. I like you much better that way." He retorted, sounding very much amused, that is, until Toph tapped her foot on the floor and sent a small rock right at his shin. Then he sounded in pain.

"Would you people stop it with the shin!?" He cried, clutching said part in agony.

Toph didn't answer him, she just laid back on the bed again and began wondering whether her latest encounter with the assassin was a dream, or whether the assassin really was Li. She just didn't know anymore if she could trust her senses. And of course, a grim smile spread on her face as she thought that, that's exactly what the assassin aimed for.

She simply strengthened her earlier decision to bury the assassin up to his head in the earth, and added a pack of carnivorous, rabid, Hyena-Tigers.


	5. Contemplation

**Chapter Five: Contemplation**

A figure was sitting inside a circle of candles, cross-legged, meditating.

So far, one of his plans was going without a hitch, his foresight had not failed him, and he was more than able to keep his targets on edge, their mental condition deteriorating as he proceeded. Soon, he will be able to enact the final stage of the plan and finally eliminate the two girls he was sent after. He breathed in slowly, breathing out through his mouth.

This plan, however, was one of two parallel plans, each one depending on the other's failure. One plan, the plan that progressed perfectly so far, was his plan to kill Katara of the Water Tribe and Toph Bei-Fong, otherwise known as the Blind Bandit.

The other however, was a plan to save said individuals, and perhaps even offer his aid in taking the Fire Princess Azula off their backs. He had hoped, in his conversations with Toph, that she would say something, anything, that would demolish his indecision once and for all. This plan was flawed, and his foresight would not be able to assist him in its completion.

He had confronted his Waterbending target briefly, mainly in order to test her reactions, for even despite watching her, he had not yet seen her fight. As brief as the encounter was, it allowed the assassin to learn much about the Waterbender, and the Avatar.

The Waterbender was driven, by what, he did not know. But she was as determined as he had ever seen someone, she had managed to keep a level head even in the face of a lethal situation, and he had no doubt that she was a force to be reckoned with.

The Water Tribe warrior, the bender's brother, he seemed a capable fighter, and a rather intelligent person, other than being a complete fool at times, but as Azula had said, he posed no threat to their missions.

The Avatar… The assassin was excited at the prospect of meeting the last known Airbender, ecstatic even, he could not resist the urge to fight him. While the fight was short, the Avatar had displayed knowledge in the arts of Earth and Air bending, and undoubtly; he had already learned the art of Waterbending. The assassin rather hoped he would have a chance to face the Avatar in battle again, the chance to study him and observe the art of Airbending in full.

Azula, his contractor, a magnificent Firebender - According to hearsay and from what the assassin had learned from his associates in the Fire Nation, who had arranged for his first meeting with her, she was a magnificent leader, calm, precise, and deadly. The meeting with her only increased this impression of her, her choice of assistance might seem to be doubtful, with what seemed to be one rather lacking-in-enthusiasm servant and another lacking-in-intelligence servant, but their skill and loyalty were unmatched, everything about her displayed the future Fire Queen of the Fire Nation.

The boy, the young and apparently fearless child clinging to the Avatar's group… He was an obstacle, serving only to hinder the assassin's plan and make it that much more difficult for him to go through with it. The boy has his uses, serving to confuse his primary target, Toph, but he is now proving to be quite an encumbrance. Howver, he is a crucial part of both of the assassin's plans, and therefore he must not be removed… yet.

Toph Bei-Fong, the blind girl has mastered her own style of Earthbending; it would possibly be a great advantage for her, if she had not been the Blind Bandit. For the assassin had watched her in the ring enough times to learn her style and now, adjust himself to it. She had wisdom in her, and despite her tough demeanor, she had her soft spots, especially when it came to her blindness. When the assassin limited her vision, he could sense that she was in real distress.

All in all his orders would not be difficult to complete, in fact, he should be able to complete them in relative ease. The question was, of course, whether he wanted to or not.

In his mind's eye, the image of Azula swam into focus.

"You've failed, assassin." She declared coldly, "You didn't complete your mission."

"I have not failed," He spoke to her, "I need more time to execute my plan."

"You've failed, and now you must face the consequences." She replied, smiling maliciously and coldly at him.

"I have not failed!" He called, and the circle of candles burned high above his sitting body, flames blazing in the air.

The image of Toph then swam to his mind, looking sternly at him, disappointedly, as though he had done something beneath himself.

"You've failed, call it any way you want to, but you failed. You didn't fail me, Firebender, you failed yourself and you know it."

This time, he had no answer to offer, no defense against these accusations, so he remained silent.

Then, his own image swam to him, standing quietly and staring at some invisible object.

"I'm not sure if my orders are really worth it." He said, yes, he had not yet decided whether his orders were really worth it: The loss of a personal hero, his self respect, and his passion.

He took another deep breath, and released it through his mouth, sighing, and letting the frustration flow from his center, through his breath, outwards.

He imagined himself standing at a parting of the roads, both roads would lead him to a place he had never been in, and from this point down the road, he could not see what that place would be. Both roads demanded a toll, the same amounts, but in different currency.

One of those roads would be right for him, the other would be wrong. Which road however, should he take? Which price should he pay?

He knew that once he started on one of these roads, there might be more junctions from which he could choose, and if he did not like the outcome, he could try and return here, to this junction. But the return trip would be much harder, and twice as lengthy, as picking the right road now. And he might not have the time to make it, should he choose the wrong one.

The candles ceased their blazing, and calmed down as he focused, trying to feel what his heart desired for him. But his heart stayed ambivalent, the decision is up to him.

For the moment, he decided to step off the road, and as he did so, the vision faded.

It was time to get back to work…

000

The sun had just risen past the treetops, and though on any other day, the village would be bustling with activity, today it was silent. Toph didn't seem to like that at all.

"Open up you chicken-hogs!" She yelled, banging her fist on the door of the village's elder. Sokka, who refused to let her go alone, was standing behind her, staring dully at the walls of the house.

"He's not gonna open the door Toph." He said boringly, rubbing one eye with his hand.

"That's good, because I've been dying to smash something all week!" Toph exclaimed, and almost instantly the door opened, to reveal a rather portly elder, wearing a straw hat.

"Please go away, we can't be seen talking to you." He said urgently, looking around nervously.

"What do you mean you can't be seen talking to us?" Sokka interrogated, sending him an angry glare.

"I'm sorry… I can't…" And at that he closed the door, just to have it smashed by Toph.

"Oh yes you can, if you know what's good for you." She threatened, sending him a stare that removed all doubt from his heart that she was bluffing.

"A Firebender was here, he asked us not to come out, or we'll get hurt… He said that if we talk to you or contact you in any way he'll kill us all, you have to leave, please!" The old man pleaded, looking so frightened that even Toph softened up, she and Sokka left without another word, so the villagers were all in on what was going on. And that's why no one helped Aang and Katara when the assassin attacked. It made Toph furious to the point where she considered saving the assassin the trouble of burning the village. She wondered what the Kingdom's Patrols would say if an avalanche appeared on a flat terrain.

On their way back to the rendezvous point they set with Aang and Katara, Toph suddenly asked.

"Sokka, did Li say anything when you came in yesterday, when I slept?"

"Umm, nothing about you, he said he was gonna try to find the assassin again, but nothing about you. Though," Sokka said thoughtfully, and by the vibrations he made on the ground walking, Toph could sense him tapping the side of his chin, "he did look weird, kind of like you've been when you were distracted. Why, something happened?"

"No, I was just wondering, that's all…" Toph answered falsely, Sokka seemed to sense it, but said nothing.

"Whatever it was, it seemed to do wonders for your fevers. If only Aang and Katara weren't so stubborn, we could already be on our way."

"Well Mister Charity, it's our fault these people don't have water anymore, don't you think it's our responsibility to fix that?" Katara's irritable voice sounded, as they were approaching the rendezvous point, the village well. Aang and Katara were transferring what was probably the hundredth blob of water from the nearby river, trying to replenish the village's water supply.

"She's right Sokka, besides; I thought we decided that we're supposed to bring the fight to the assassin?" Aang asked, not looking away from the water he was bending.

"Well, unless that dim-witted kid…" Sokka started, causing Katara, Aang and even Toph to roar in protest.

"Don't call him dim-witted!"

"He's a good kid!"

"He's been more helpful than _you_ have!"

Sokka sighed in frustration, "Regardless to what he is, we can't do anything unless he finds that assassin, _if_ he finds the assassin, for all we know, he _is_…" But then he was cut off again, this time only by Aang and Katara.

"That's impossible Sokka."

"You said the assassin didn't sound anything like him."

"Wait." Toph suddenly interrupted, then she looked straight at Sokka, "He knew Sokka would be the one to follow him. He planned it all along."

"Huh?" Sokka sounded confused by the last statement, not understanding why it mattered that it was him.

"He knew that only Sokka and I would suspect him, and when he left to get his pig rat, he led Sokka on a wild chase, to a place he knew Sokka would be able to hear his conversation with Azula, but also a place where he wouldn't be able to see them." She theorized, standing solidly and thinking hard.

"It was important to him that Sokka would hear him, so he could fake his voice, but if I was there, I'd recognize his voice anyway, because my hearing is much more sharp."

"Toph that's crazy, you don't know that." Katara said, but Toph shushed her with a look.

"Think, Katara. If he was just going to get his pig-rat, then why did he make it seem as though he wanted Sokka to lose him? When the assassin attacked us, he made that fire wall to ensure that we couldn't see if Li was standing there or not, but we could hear him!"

"But Toph, the assassin attacked from a whole different direction, and he would never have had time to change his clothes and get to where he was fast enough so me and Aang won't see him.

Toph knew it was the only obstacle on her path, it frustrated her, the whole thing about him being so fast, but then it came to her, clear as day, and enlightenment lit her face like the sun.

"He stole Aang's Airbending! Of course! That's how he got there so fast! While Aang was unconscious, the Firebender stalled by talking to you, and when he bended the energy out of Aang, he took off! It's got to be it!"

Katara hesitated, and it was apparent in her movements and voice, she never truly believed this whole, bending thief thing when Toph told her about it, it seemed too weird.

"I… maybe…." She said unsurely.

"Toph, you should really let it go, Li isn't the assassin, if he was, he could've killed you in your sleep yesterday, or many times before that." Aang stated.

"No… he's not an assassin… he's a killer, he always gives his targets a fair fight. He wouldn't kill me in my sleep, nor would he kill me when I was in fever, blinded, or in any way not at my full strength. Ugh! It's so frustrating! I feel like I'm this close to cracking this, but I can't figure out how it all pieces together, how a twelve years old kid from the fire nation would be their best assassin, and why, if he is an assassin, he would have morality problems. It doesn't make sense!" She let out angrily.

"Toph, maybe you should take your mind off it? It'll only make you more confused." Aang suggested, and suddenly looked crestfallen.

"And I was just starting to think that I've gotten that little bit of trust I was hoping for." Li said, leaning on a building behind Toph. She was so distracted, she couldn't feel him.

_No, he just knows how to get past my sight._

The thought unnerved her, but it sounded just right.

"Do you even know why I hang out with you guys? So I could get to know _you_. Not the avatar, not the Waterbender, _you_. That's all I ever wanted, but what do I get? A rock to the chest, countless insults, and now you're talking about me behind my back." His voice was shaking with anger and frustration, "And you know what? I don't care if that Firebender gets you!" He yelled, fleeing the scene.

Even Toph's blindness couldn't halve the impact of Katara's deadly stare. Aang was silent, and Toph could just imagine him looking at her sadly. Sokka was constantly shifting his weight from leg to leg, seeming quite abashed himself.

He finally spoke, very quietly and carefully, "I don't think that was acting…"

If it was acting, then it was on a level Toph has never seen before, she couldn't think of what to say, everything almost made sense, but he sounded so heartbroken. How could it be? Unless he really believes he's not the assassin.

_But he's not. He's a killer, not an assassin. _

The thought made her spine prickle and her hair to stand on end. He seemed too sincere to be lying, but Toph's intuition screamed at her that she was, how could she trust anything now? The assassin kept doing that to her, driving her out of her mind, making her think like everything fits, just to smash it up again. Like someone holding a string tied to a coin, and whenever she tries to pick it up, they pull it away.

That assassin was a genius, and he was going to bring her to the point of breaking before killing her. Just to that point, because if he brought her past it, then it wouldn't be a fair fight… he wasn't trying to break her fighting spirit, he was trying to make her err, and he'd be there waiting when she did.

She closed her eyes tightly and wished, no prayed that it will be over soon, one way or the other…

* * *

Author Note:

Hey everyone! Cursor here, just wanting to say I'm delighted that you're all enjoying the story! From the reviews I received it seems that you really are. Though, if I could ask those of you who enjoy this story to also leave a comment or two, on an aspect that can be improved, some mistake you've noticed, or any constructive criticism, I'd be delighted to receive it. This is Cursor, signing off for now. (Whoo mental torture!)


	6. The Stillness Before

Chapter 6: The Stillness Before...

The sun shun sadly over Katara and Sokka as they walked through the silent, pastoral village, both appearing deeply troubled. It was a shame that they could not spare the thought to appreciate the sky at that moment, for they were busy talking quietly between themselves.

"You have to admit Katara, there's something fishy about Li." Sokka reasoned, though unsure himself of the matter.

"I don't know Sokka, sure, he seems kind of out of place in this village, but he wasn't lying today, I can tell you that." The Waterbender assured, "When I first met him, when we went looking for Toph, he said he hoped I would introduce them. He seemed just as sincere then as he did today." She then looked miserably at Sokka, "And I don't know, I just can't believe there's someone who can actually steal bending powers Sokka, it sounds unnatural."

Sokka crossed his arms and seemed thoughtful for a moment. "It would really help Toph's theory if it was possible. I'm not sure if it is, but I know Toph believes that he can do it." The warrior kicked a loose pebble on the ground as he walked.

"But how could he be an assassin? He's only twelve; would the Fire Nation really sink so low as to train children to kill?" She argued.

"Look at Azula! She can't be that much older than him and she's already tried to kill Aang, do you think the other Firebenders are that different?" Sokka answered heatedly, "You keep underestimating them, they would have killed everyone in the North Pole if Aang hadn't smashed their navy, just like they killed mom."

Katara's expression darkened, "You're right." Then she sighed, "But it doesn't prove anything."

After several moments in which they continued their stroll in contemplative silence, Katara finally spoke.

"I'm scared Sokka."

The elder sibling stopped and turned to her slowly, "Me too Katara."

The siblings hugged lovingly for several brief moments, when suddenly a low voice came to them.

"There's nothing more comforting than sibling love." A person, dressed in a black colored Earth Kingdom army uniform said, Sokka and Katara turned at once, both drawing their respected weapons. "Or so I've heard, I wouldn't really know…"

The person was wearing a hood over his face, sewn on by himself, most probably. The job was clean though, and the seams were almost invisible, certainly unnoticeable from most angles. The uniform itself was dyed expertly, and the armor was colored in a single, homogenous layer.

"Nice outfit." Sokka commented, eyeing them carefully, though actually trying to get a glimpse under the person's hood. "No really, where do I get one of those?"

"Don't waste your time." With a carefully controlled voice, the assassin spoke. With considered, yet natural words creating a casual impression of a pleasant discussion.

"What do you want?" Katara asked, water at the ready, though she wondered how much use they will do her in broad daylight against someone who would have beaten her in her advantageous time of the night.

"No fighting, not this time." The assassin said, "Only words."

Sokka tapped his foot nervously, and looked back from Katara to the assassin, but the latter seemed to have picked up something else in his behavior.

"If you call your friends, your sister and your friend will die. But I will let you live." The threat was cold, but there was a tiny shift underneath the armor, like a twitch, but barely noticeable.

Katara caught on, he was tapping his foot not with nervousness or lack of patience; he was trying to signal Toph, using his feet to call out for her unique "sight".

Sokka stopped instantly; glaring straight at the shadows underneath the hood, his expression radiated cold loathing, like a searing bolt of lightning. The assassin was unaffected by this.

"You're not a target, warrior. You may leave." Though he said that Sokka _may_ leave, the assassin's tone rather indicated that he _should_ leave.

"Do what he says Sokka." Katara said suddenly, her face determined, "And don't call Aang and Toph here." He stared at her, mouth agape, he was about to argue, but she glared at him fiercely. And when that didn't seem to stop the imminent torrent of words, she cried, "Just GO!"

He left reluctantly, looking back at the two all along. He wouldn't be too far, and will most likely want to stay in sight of the two, but the assassin paid him no attention.

"This is your last chance, Katara. Leave the avatar so we can avoid this pointless bloodshed."

"I'm not about to abandon my friend, not when I know what you're planning to do with him." She declared accusingly.

"I'm not planning to do anything with him, but I'm afraid Azula is. I must say, Katara, I admire you and Toph for your loyalty to your friends and your determination. I only hope, that being so, and by so I mean loyal, you would understand my position." The assassin spoke almost apologetically, and Katara felt like she had to say it, regardless of what logic dictated.

"But you're not loyal to the Fire Nation. You don't want the path they set you on. Toph told me you always kill fairly, even though you were trained and instructed otherwise. You're not like them; you don't have to be like this."

"I've killed Waterbenders too, not just Earthbenders." The assassin said suddenly, "Before the siege of the North, Admiral Zhao contracted me to slay a Waterbending master within the city in the North Pole, an associate of Master Pakku." He told, "I infiltrated the city easily enough, undetected, and when I faced him, he threw everything he had at me. And might I say, that was a lot. It being during the night, I was at a great disadvantage." He spoke slowly, and deliberately, making sure Katara understood every single word.

"Why are you telling me this?" Katara interrupted, but he shook his head.

"I was outgunned, but I observed his defensive bending was all the same, he kept bringing up a wall of water to block my fire attacks, leaving him completely blind to my actions. That was what brought him down. I sent several weak fireballs at him, blinding him momentarily as he raised his barrier, but then, I unleashed upon him a massive ball of fire from the air, a technique that you've already had the chance to see…" He inclined his head towards her respectfully. "And then I finished him off, you see though he was a Waterbending master, his hatred towards my people drove him to use his weak side, his offensive more than his defensive side. He had the capability to defend marvelously against that attack, yet in his blind rage he did not do it."

"What's the point in telling me this? Are you trying to incite me against you?" Katara questioned; her voice even, yet there was a hint of withheld anger within it, more at the assassin's stubbornness than at his story.

"I'll let you think about it." The assassin replied, then giving her a small bow, "Hopefully, one of us will come to our senses before this is over, and the bloodshed will be avoided."

"You're not sure if you want to kill us, are you?" Katara asked hopefully, and the assassin nodded.

"It is not the time to make the final decision yet, but when the time will come, I hope for all our sakes we choose right." He spoke solemnly, then turning to leave. Katara made a move to try and stop him, but a wall of fire rose in her way, prohibiting her from continuing.

000

"And that's what happened," Katara finished telling the group, Aang and Sokka considered his story, while Toph nodded slowly and spoke.

"He's trying to teach us something, but he wants us to figure it out, he told me about this Earth Kingdom General Shan that he killed. He said that the general fought using a stone-made creature, called a Golem, but when he controlled the Golem he was vulnerable, eventually he said he just gave him his most powerful technique, and burned through the golem straight at the General, who didn't have the time to raise a proper defense by then." Toph told shortly, she had given that story much thought, but wondered what the meaning behind it was. Since there was obviously a reason the assassin told it to her.

"Well, they're all about using your opponent's weaknesses against them, right? Maybe that's what he's trying to teach us? To use his indecision against him?" Aang offered Toph considered this, it made sense, since the assassin seemed as though he wanted to be stopped from killing them, but then there's no real lesson there. No, she had a feeling it was deeper than that.

"Maybe it's not about using them against your enemy," The Earthbender said, "Maybe it's about trying to see what they are in the first place, observing them. Know your enemy, find their weakness, General Shan's weakness was his vulnerability while controlling his Golem, the Waterbender's weakness was his lack of control…."

"I think Toph's got a point, though I still don't get why we're dealing with this mumbo jumbo, we should just go and find out where that Firebender is before Azula and her friends return." Sokka stated, tapping his foot on the ground fondly for Toph to hear.

"I don't think we ever stood a chance against him." Toph mentioned glumly, "He beat Aang and Katara effortlessly, and me too…"

"Hey, he had the element of surprise then, I didn't have any bending water, you were knocked out with a surprise attack, and Aang wasn't prepared for a fight." Katara argued, "If _we_ had the element of surprise, and the upper hand, I know we can beat him."

"Look, Aang and I should go searching for him, after all, you're his targets, right? So he won't be paying us much attention. So when we find him, Aang will come and call you, and we'll kick his Firebending butt back to the Fire Nation, simple, isn't it?" Sokka proposed simply.

"I guess we don't have much else to do." Aang agreed reluctantly, "But I'm sure if we could set him straight… he could be such an asset…"

"Right… And next thing we know, the Fire Lord will invite us to a banquet in _your_ honor." The warrior responded sardonically.

"Well, I guess we'll get moving." Aang said, standing up. Sokka mimicked him, after a hasty goodbye, the two boys left, leaving the girls to sit in uncomfortable silence.

"We have to reach him." The Earthbending girl said, "He wants us to, we just haven't given him a good enough reason, a strong enough argument."

"I want to believe that Toph, I think so too… but what can we say that can convince him?" The Waterbending girl asked, leaning back against the wall, rubbing her eyes wearily.

"If it comes down to it, we're going to have to fight him alone." The Earthbender stated, "I don't want Aang and Sokka to get hurt."

"Me neither Toph," The tribeswoman agreed, "But to tell you the truth, I'm scared. I've always feared we'll get hurt helping Aang… but now we're in real danger of dying and I… it scares me."

Toph looked up slightly, though she didn't turn her blank gaze at Katara, her eyes stared at some point on the door.

"I know Katara… I love fighting, but this is… I don't want to die, and I came so close to it… We have to talk him out of it Katara, we have to, or he'll kill us. I know he can, he knows our weaknesses, he already has a plan in mind." Toph's voice was laden with panic, and Katara understood full well why. Both she and Toph saw what the bender was capable of, and all excuses aside, he knew what he was doing.

She looked at her companion's expression, her mouth was slightly crooked, her lower lip was quivering, and noticeably being chewed upon. Her pale forehead was sweaty, and her eyes, while still milky and unseeing, were wide in fear, and shining through held back tears. It was then that the magnitude of what was going on really struck Katara. She has never seen Toph scared before.

Toph, in turn, could feel Katara's accelerated heartbeat, and her quick breathing. She could imagine her, her compassionate eyes, matching her voice, were large with concern and worry, her chest rising and falling quickly and haphazardly with her breath. Toph would sooner face an army of Azula rather than face that assassin, and she knew that her Waterbending friend felt exactly the same.

The door to the room suddenly burst, and for one hopeless moment, Toph anticipated the burning sensation of a fireball, but it didn't come. Instead, came Li's cheerful voice.

"I found him! I know where he is! Now you have to believe me!" He yelled in excitement, jumping up and down on the floor.

And so, despite their fears, both benders stood up, turned to look at each other, and then at Li.

"Take us to him."

* * *

Author Notes:

Sorry for taking so long with this one, my other story Rise of The Elementals was hogging my inspiration. And sorry for the shortness of this one, but it's only to foreshadow the next one, which will hopefully be up soon. That's all from me for now, see you soon!

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